Category Archives: 20th Century

guest post: Lions of the Desert: Telling the Real WWII Story Behind The English Patient and Operation Condor

In Lions of the Desert: A True Story of WWII Heroes in North Africa, I tell the tale of the legendary Operation Condor and 1941-1942 Desert War between Rommel’s Afrika Korps and the British Eighth Army, based on recently declassified British and U.S. Military Intelligence records. In May 1942, just before the Desert Fox launched his offensive to drive Eighth… Read more »

At the Far End of Nowhere by Christine Davis Merriman

      No Comments on At the Far End of Nowhere by Christine Davis Merriman

This book came to my attention and I thought I would share it as it sounds like an interesting and unusual historical setting. I’ve been increasingly interested in mid-20th century (post WWII), especially the 60’s. I’m adding this to my ever-growing list! BOOK DESCRIPTION: “In this hauntingly unconventional novel, young Lissa Power challenges the imagination and captures the heart as… Read more »

review: The House of One Thousand Eyes

      1 Comment on review: The House of One Thousand Eyes

The House of One Thousand Eyes by Michelle Barker Set in Cold War era East Germany during the 1980’s, this story follows 17-year-old Lena Altmann, who had lost her parents in a factory explosion and was living with her strict, party-observant aunt. Considered slow-witted due to her time in a psychiatric ward after the accident, Lena is given a job… Read more »

excerpt reveal & giveaway: Lone Wolf in Jerusalem

Lone Wolf in Jerusalem by Ehud Diskin A Thrilling Tale of Love, Loss, and Revenge BOOK DESCRIPTION Set primarily in post-WWII Israel, Lone Wolf in Jerusalem is a suspenseful, action-packed novel that is a worthy contribution to Jewish historical fiction. Using drama, adventure, and romance, Diskin has created a colorful and captivating story that entertains and educates through the exploits… Read more »

movie vs book: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Firsty, I’m not sure it needs to be noted, but there are spoilers here. If you’ve not watched the movie and wish it to be a surprise, you may want to move along. I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society several years ago, and recently was inspired to reread it when I saw a preview of the… Read more »

review: Dear Mrs. Bird

      1 Comment on review: Dear Mrs. Bird

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce The idea for this story stems from a fascinating subject–the content of women’s magazines from the WWII era. What topics were they covering and what was the tone during this time of hardship? In Dear Mrs. Bird, the protagonist, Emmaline Lake, is a young woman planning to become a war correspondent, or a journalist… Read more »

review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

In general I am not one to reread books–with the exception of audiobook versions. In this case, I was prompted to pick Guernsey up a second time because I caught the trailer for the new film and it intrigued me (I loved Lily James in Pride & Prejudice & Zombies). When I read this book some 8 years ago, I… Read more »

eBook giveaway: The Beginning by Urban Vyaas

This giveaway is for a Kindle eBook copy, and is open until June 30, 2018. Leave a comment to enter. The Beginning: A Multicultural Tale of Transformation by Urban Vyaas Book Description: On June 16, 1914, journalist Alec Bannon and his young wife, Millie Bloom, meet an Inuit called Piugaattoq (also known as Minik Wallace) at the Museum of Natural… Read more »

guest post: Terrence McCauley on the history behind The Fairfax Incident

I had several reasons for setting THE FAIRFAX INCIDENT in 1933 New York City. The first reason is that I love history in general and New York City history in particular. The thousands of tourists who visit my hometown every year might be shocked to hear that New York doesn’t have much of a history when compared to other world… Read more »

review: Bonnie & Clyde : Dam Nation

      1 Comment on review: Bonnie & Clyde : Dam Nation

Bonnie & Clyde: Dam Nation Book 2 by Clark Hays & Kathleen McFall In this second installment of Hays & McFall’s Bonnie & Clyde series, the dynamic duo find themselves in Boulder City, Nevada at the site of the Hoover Dam (then styled Boulder Dam), with orders from the ever persistent government official, Sal, to discover the source of apparent… Read more »

review: While You Were Mine

      1 Comment on review: While You Were Mine

While You Were Mine by Ann Howard Creel This story opens upon the protagonist, nurse Gwen Mullen, finding herself the subject of the famous LIFE magazine image that is so well known–the V-J Day sailor kiss–although this inclusion has little to do with the storyline, other than setting the tone and some other small details later. Gwen lives with a… Read more »

review: The Bell Jar

      No Comments on review: The Bell Jar

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Esther Greenwood is a promising, young college student from Boston who had been given the chance to gain real world experience and connections at a month-long literary program in New York City. Somewhere along the way she began to lose pieces of herself, and once she returned home her reality quickly unraveled. She started… Read more »